That afternoon, the news of the envoy's posthouse spread throughout the capital, shocking the court and the public.

On the second day, the crowd was agitated, and everyone cursed the king of East Japan for being too much of a bully. Some

angry generals even wrote to the king on the spot to ask him to lead the troops to fight, wishing to immediately flatten the small country to vent their anger.

This was of course unrealistic. Even without the king saying anything, a minister immediately stopped him, saying, "The Japanese are indeed extremely hateful, but wars cost lives and property, and the Japanese are separated from Daliang by the East China Sea. There is no chance of victory if we mobilize our army."

"Yes, if there is no chance of winning a war, it is better not to fight it lightly. Anyway, the Gaoli prince was stabbed by the Japanese this time. I believe that when the news gets back, there may not be peace between the two countries. Why don't we sit back and watch the fire, and when the time is right, we can reap the benefits?"

This statement attracted a lot of echoes, but there were still people who said angrily, "Are we going to endure their insults this time?"

At this time, the king on the throne finally spoke, "The more hateful the other party is, the more we should be punished. You must be more stable. The best plan now is to intensify the training of coastal navy and strengthen coastal defense. Even if there is no war for the time being, you must always be prepared for war. If the Japanese dare to commit another offense, we must immediately and resolutely fight back without mercy. "

After the voice fell, everyone responded in unison.

Then the king said, "Honglu Temple should immediately send a letter to Gaoli and Dongwo to explain what happened this time and severely condemn Dongwo. If there is a chance, the people in their country should also know how ridiculous their king is. "

The officials of Honglu Temple also immediately stepped forward and agreed.

However... It's easy to write letters to the two countries, but the king's last sentence...

Tsk, how can we let the people of Dongwo know about this?

But at this moment, I heard Hanlin scholar Zou Mozhong say, "I have an idea. I heard that the latest story of Master Xiaoyao is very similar to the story of East Japan. The adults of Honglu Temple, why don't you translate this story into East Japan, let those East Japan merchants see it, and then bring it back to the country to spread it?"

Huh? This is indeed a good idea!

Someone else said, "What Zou scholar said is very true! It would be better if there were storytelling dramas in East Japan, and then adapt this story and perform it in the fields, so that it would be easier to spread."

- If the people of East Japan knew that their monarch harmed innocent civilians in order to satisfy his absurd selfish desires, it is estimated that the dynasty itself would not last long.

Everyone thought so, and for a while, a chorus of approval rang out in the hall.

Seeing this, the king nodded and said, "This is indeed a good idea. Let the Honglu Temple handle it. If there is anything unclear, you can ask Zou Qing."

After the voice fell, the officials of the Honglu Temple agreed again. The rest of the people also praised, "Your Majesty is wise."

Of course, among them, the Minister of Works Lu Kaihe was the most excited -

it's great, his favorite work of Mr. Xiaoyao will finally be spread to foreign countries!

Of course, while excited, he also became more anxious. He rushed to court this morning, but he didn't know that Mr. Xiaoyao had published a new book today?

I must buy it after the court is over!

~~

At the same time, in Ci'an Palace, Yan Shu was holding her new storybook and exchanging ideas with her own big boss, the Queen Mother.

After hearing the story, the Queen Mother nodded and said, "You handled it very well. This matter is too absurd after all. I'm afraid the people will be scared after hearing it, so it's better to write it as a ghost story. However, it's a bargain for the King of East Japan. In the end, we have to cover up for him."

Yan Shu said hurriedly, "It doesn't matter. Anyway, if he treats people like this, I don't think he will be on the throne for long. Besides, after the truth is found out, they have a grudge with Gao Li. Let's just wait and see the excitement." The Queen Mother

nodded, "Then Prince Gao Li deserves it. He is so dishonest when he is a guest in someone else's territory. I don't know if he can recover from being scared like this."

Yan Shu said, "Yesterday, I heard from Doctor Jiang that as long as he doesn't come into contact with things that stimulate him, he should be able to recover. It's just that it may take a longer time. . "

Then he lowered his voice and said to the Queen Mother, "You don't know, I heard that he can't stand seeing strange women now. He shouts monsters when he sees one, so he can only ask his princess to serve him closely."

The Queen Mother said, "Oh," and couldn't help laughing, "This is exactly what the princess wants. She doesn't have to worry about her husband being unfaithful and thinking of various roundabout ways."

Yan Shu also laughed, "Who said it wasn't? So now she is especially cooperating with us. Yesterday, The next day, she asked the envoys to write a letter to Gao Li, saying how hateful and absurd the Eastern Japanese were. Seeing that they failed to assassinate our emperor, they took the opportunity to assassinate her husband...but she didn't mention that her husband had the intention to find those two...people first. "

The Queen Mother laughed sarcastically, "What should she say? Although she complained, she still wanted to protect her husband's status and her own glory and wealth. Such a person would not be very happy in her heart."

- Either don't care, or don't care at all. What's the point of being so worried and anxious all day long? After

the voice fell, probably realizing that she was a little too emotional, the Queen Mother said to Yan Shu, "It's hard for you to worry about this kind of thing. Now that the storybook has been written, go back and have a good rest."

Yan Shu agreed and got up to leave. But

she couldn't help but wonder in her heart, was the empress dowager inspired by her own words just now?

- Perhaps the empress dowager was able to live so clearly only after she had completely given up on the late emperor.

She pushed the door open and saw Rendong waiting for her at the door. Zhushu, Madam Zhuang and other palace maids around the empress dowager were also waiting outside the door. When they saw her come out, they all saluted her.

Yan Shu nodded, and with the help of Rendong, she stepped onto the sedan chair waiting on the side.

On the side, Zhushu and Madam Zhuang glanced at the storybook in her hand, then looked at each other silently and entered the palace.

~~

Yan Shu solved the case of the envoy's inn and published a new storybook. This time, she can be said to have worked hard and made great contributions.

Next, she planned to take a rest while seeing the readers' reactions.

——After all, this time she was writing a story about strange things, and it was a long series, so she was a little unsure whether readers would like it.

But two days later, she saw Fu Hai carrying a bag of letters from readers outside the palace.

Speaking of which, since she had published fewer books after she became pregnant, there were fewer letters from readers. Now that she had just published a new book, she had received so many letters at once. It seemed that readers had not forgotten her. Yan Shu was very excited and immediately opened and read them.

However, most of the letters were either about why she hadn't released a new work for a long time, and whether her health and life were okay, which made her feel warm;

or, as before, they were giving her feedback on their reading experience of new stories. Overall, they seemed pretty good.

However, there were a few letters that surprised her a little -

the letters actually questioned her in a very strong tone whether she was a woman, and reprimanded her for staying in the palace and not coming out to show off her writing to attract people's favor.

Yan Shu, "???"

What's going on?

First of all, why do they think she is a woman?

Did she reveal something?

And why do they think she shouldn't write a storybook? ? ?

But the system said, "Let's talk about it one by one. Let's talk about the first question first. Why do they think you are a woman? You haven't written many storybooks recently. Seeing that readers are waiting for it, some people want to pretend to be you to write, but the writing style and story are not very similar, so the effect is not very good. These people have no choice but to start studying your storybooks carefully and find that most of the bad characters in your stories are men, and most of the women are innocent. So they guess that you hate men, and thus conclude that you may be a woman. 】

【In addition, the protagonist of this storybook who exorcises demons is also a woman, so they are even more certain that you are a woman. 】

Hearing this, Yan Shu accurately grasped the key point, [...What do you mean? There are bad men and women in the world, and I don't only write about bad men. Why do they conclude that I hate men? 】

System,【This is actually a competitive tactic. After all, once this conclusion is spread, won't it cause more people to doubt?】

Yan Shu,【……】

Well, their goal should have been achieved, otherwise she wouldn't have received such a strong letter.

So she still couldn't believe it,【Why are they so angry because I'm a woman? Didn't they like my storybooks before? Does this have anything to do with men and women?】

System,【That's the truth, but some people can't accept it, especially this time when your story about a heroine came out, they think why did you arrange a hero who exorcises demons to be a woman? They think you are biased against men. 】

Yan Shu, [……]

This is really speechless. There are so many heroic images of men throughout history. She just wanted to write a different one, how can it lead to such an interpretation?

Besides, Sun Xingzhe also exorcises demons? It is not even a person. Will those people think that this story is prejudiced against humans?

System, [Well said! But people who are born with prejudice will not think about these things. 】

Yan Shu, [……Then let it be. If these people can't accept it, they can't accept it. Anyway, I am a woman. It is impossible for me to change my sex for them, right? 】

After saying that, she simply didn't care. She just touched her belly and said, "Let's go, mother will take the baby to pick lotus!"

Then she got up and went out.

——The summer has passed, the weather is getting cooler, and the lotus flowers in Taiye Lake are about to bloom. It is the season for lotus flowers to be harvested. The palace people are harvesting lotus flowers in Taiye Lake these two days. It is so lively.

Instead of thinking about these bad things, it is better to go and relax.

~~

After noon every day, it is the time for the Queen Mother to take a rest.

The Queen Mother does not like people around her when she falls asleep. Madam Zhuang has time again, so she returns to the duty room.

When she enters the room, she sees Zhu Shu holding a book and reading it. It is not other than the storybook of the young master Xiaoyao, who is the Queen Mother's favorite.

She couldn't help but chuckle and said, "Now that the queen has Concubine Yi, you don't need to read to her anymore. Why are you still reading this?"

Zhu Shu felt a prick in his heart, but said, "I heard that people are saying that the person who wrote the storybook is actually a woman. I just want to take another look." Hearing

her say this, Madam Zhuang remembered something and said to Zhu Shu, "Speaking of which, why did Concubine Yi never avoid people when she came to read the storybook to the queen before, but now she avoids people every time? "What else happened during those three days when I went to the temple?"

Zhu Shu thought for a moment, then put down the story and said, "At that time, I was ordered by the Queen Mother to give a gift to Concubine Yi. I saw that the pen she used was very similar to the one the Queen Mother gave to Master Xiaoyao, so I mentioned it to the Queen Mother. However, she came just after I finished speaking, saying that she wanted to report something important to the Queen Mother secretly. From then on, every time she came, the Queen Mother sent us away."

Upon hearing this, Madam Zhuang frowned immediately.

"She came just after you finished talking? Could it be that she is guilty of being a thief? She is afraid that you will tell on her, so she took the initiative to come to the queen to apologize?"

Zhu Shu said, "I have thought so before, but if she really overlooked the reward that the queen gave to Master Xiaoyao, why is the queen not angry at all, and now she is even more caring to her? Have you ever seen the queen be so kind to others?"

Especially the day before yesterday, the queen mother actually spoke in front of so many people, not to put people in the harem...

When Zhu Shu thought of this, he felt particularly uncomfortable.

——Since ancient times, isn't it the most common thing for a king to have three palaces and six courtyards? It's fine if she wants to dominate His Majesty, but she can actually let the queen mother speak for her like this!

But then she heard Madam Zhuang say, "That's true. I've been by the Empress' side for so many years, how could I not know that the Empress values ​​character the most? If Concubine Yi would do such a thing, the Empress would definitely ignore her. So it seems that at least Concubine Yi should have no problem with the pen."

Zhu Shu nodded after hearing this.

After all, she later found out that there were two sets of Hu pens, both of which were tributes from the Jiangnan Tour. One set was presented to His Majesty and the other was presented to the Queen Mother. It is very likely that the one for Concubine Yi was given to her by His Majesty.

However, such a precious thing was so easily given to Concubine Yi by His Majesty to practice calligraphy, and Zhu Shu felt even more uncomfortable.

At this time, she heard Madam Zhuang say, "Is it possible that the pen was given to her?"

Zhu Shu was stunned, still a little confused.

But then Madam Zhuang said, "Your Majesty has seen a lot of those sweet-talkers over the years. Even if you are as smart as Concubine An, once your ambition is exposed, you will still not be in the Queen Mother's eyes. So the Queen Mother likes Concubine Yi so much now, she must have some extraordinary qualities."

Zhu Shu was dissatisfied and said, "Isn't it because she is pregnant with a prince?"

Madam Zhuang said indifferently, "Even if our Concubine Gui had a prince, do you think the Queen Mother would treat her like she treats Concubine Yi now?"

Zhu Shu paused.

I have to say, it is true.

Considering the character of Concubine Zhou, even if she was really pregnant with the heir, the Queen Mother would not have been so kind to her...

But how could Concubine Yi catch the Queen Mother's extraordinary qualities?

But then Madam Zhuang said, "Since she has to avoid people every time she comes to read the storybooks to the Queen Mother... Is there anything else between her and the Queen Mother that cannot be heard by others besides reading the storybooks?"

This is exactly what Zhu Shu wanted to know. Hearing this, she frowned and said, "I can't figure it out. In the past, the Queen Mother asked her to read stories and inquire about the affairs of the Xiaoyao Master..."

At this point, she suddenly paused.

But then I heard Madam Zhuang say, "That's right. In the past, the queen always mentioned that she wanted to meet Master Xiaoyao, but now she doesn't say it anymore."

Zhu Shu frowned and said in disbelief, "Could it be...she is Master Xiaoyao?"

...

~~

Yan Shu watched the harvest scene by the Taiye Lake, picked up a bag of fresh lotus, and planned to go home.

But every two steps, I heard the system ding, [Pay attention, Zhu Shu and Madam Zhuang just went through the duty room and deduced that you are most likely Master Xiaoyao, and are now planning to spread the news. ]

Yan Shu, [??? ]

That's unnecessary.

Is it fun to reveal her privacy so quickly?

Whether she wanted to announce it to the public was one thing, but being leaked by others was another.

She immediately changed her mind and told her two companions, Ren Dong and Lian Xin, who were following her.

They immediately responded and started to act separately.

~~

Not long after, the Queen Mother saw Yan Shu holding a bag of lotus flowers in front of her.

"Your Majesty, these are lotus flowers from Taiye Lake. I just went there and picked them up myself. I saw that they were of good quality, so I specially sent them to you to taste." The Queen Mother

took a look and saw that there was a basket of lotus flowers. She couldn't help but laugh and said, "Why did you take so many?"

In fact, it was Yan Shu's greed. She saw that the lotus flowers were bigger and fresher than each other by the lake just now, and she couldn't help but take so many.

But at this time, she sighed and said, "I have been a little restless and irritated these two days. I heard from the imperial physician that lotus seeds can calm the mind and relieve heat, so I planned to take more and eat slowly."

The Queen Mother frowned when she heard this and said, "Why is this child irritated for no reason?"

But Yan Shu looked as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. The

Queen Mother waved her hand and said to the palace maids in the hall, "Go down first."

Nanny Zhuang, who was standing in front of her, paused slightly, and had to agree, and followed the crowd to retreat. But

in her heart, she couldn't help but think, this time Concubine Yi didn't bring a storybook, I wonder what she was going to say to the Queen Mother?

In a blink of an eye, there were no outsiders in the hall. The Queen

Mother said slowly, "Come on, has something happened again? Don't hide it from me."

Yan Shu's heart warmed, and she said, "Something has happened in the past few days, and I am a little distracted. Your Majesty also knows that I wrote a female hero in my new story book. Originally, I just wanted to write an image different from the male heroes on the market, but I didn't expect that this would make some people outside dissatisfied. Not only did some people... Guessing that I am a woman, some people have written to scold me these days, saying that if I were a woman, I should stay in the palace and not go out to seek favors. "

The Queen Mother frowned when she heard this and said, "What's wrong with these people? Haven't they been eager to read stories written by women before? They actually wrote to scold you? It's really too much!"

Yan Shu nodded and said, "I don't quite understand why they are so arrogant. 's idea, but this world has always looked down upon women, and I have thought about this situation before. If they don't like it, then they don't like it, it's not the most important thing. I am afraid that in a few days, someone will guess my identity and bring it up again. "The Queen Mother

didn't care and said, "What are you afraid of? Anyway, these scripts were asked by His Majesty to be written, and you are just following his will. Is there a palace rule that forbids women in the harem to write storybooks? If those old stubborn people dare to make a fuss about this, Your Majesty and I will take the blame for you."

After hearing this, Yan Shu was deeply moved and immediately stood up and saluted, "Thank you very much, Your Majesty, for your protection." The Queen Mother

smiled and said, "Get up. I don't think it's a big deal that's worth being so upset about it?"

Yan Shu smiled embarrassedly.

At this moment, she heard a voice outside the door saying, "Your Majesty, Eunuch Fu Hai wants to see you."

Well, why did Fu Hai come here suddenly? The Queen Mother

was also a little surprised, so she said, "Let him in."

The person outside the door answered and opened the palace door. As expected, Fu Hai came in with a basket. After paying his respects, he said, "Your Majesty, we have just brought some grapes from Qingyuan County, Taiyuan Prefecture. Your Majesty thinks they are fresh, so he specially asked me to bring you a basket." As she said that , she

took the initiative to open the basket, and saw that there were indeed bunches of fresh grapes inside, each of which was full of purple and red, and they looked delicious.

The Queen Mother nodded, "Qingyuan grapes are also good things. Your Majesty, thank you for caring about me, put it down."

Fu Hai agreed and handed the basket to the palace maid who came forward to take over.

Then he made a gesture to look around the palace and said, "By the way, I wonder if Miss Zhushu is here these days?" The empress dowager

said with an "oh", and asked curiously, "What do you want to see Zhushu for?"

But Fu Hai said, "The guards guarding the palace gate just now said that they caught a young eunuch with some silver and a letter on him. His behavior was suspicious. The guards interrogated him, and the young eunuch said that Miss Zhushu asked him to deliver the letter to the relatives outside."

After saying this, the empress dowager paused, and immediately asked someone to call Zhushu to her side, and asked, "Isn't your family in Luzhou? When did relatives from the capital come?"

At this time, Zhushu was nervous when he heard the news. He quickly found an excuse in his mind and was about to answer.

But Fu Hai answered the Queen Mother's question, "Yes, I also know that Miss Zhushu is not from the capital, and I am afraid that the eunuch stole Miss Zhushu's money, so I came to ask."

After the words fell, the Queen Mother's eyes were full of suspicion.

Zhushu became more and more nervous, and hurriedly said, "...It was not stolen. I asked him to save the money for me outside. I heard that the interest rate of saving money outside is high, so I thought of saving it for future use. I also asked him to help me forward the letter to Luzhou."

But Fu Hai said, "That's strange. Isn't there a special post office in the palace? The day to receive letters is tomorrow. Is there something urgent? And the place the boy mentioned, the guards checked it out, is a bookshop. But it's not a money house. Miss, are you being fooled?" What

? Bookshop?

The Queen Mother heard it and suddenly said in a cold voice, "Tell me the truth, what are you going to do!"